I have a 95 2500 CTD with 90k miles. I bought the truck used and I have noted is shifts strange. The truck will shift through gears 1-3 with the truck accelerating and the rpms only dropping approx 200. When the truck goes into overdrive (lock up ?) the rpms drop about 400 with the shift and the truck really accelerates well unlike the performance in the first 3 gears. Is this normal ? What can I change to get this power and acceleration in gears 1-3 ??<br><br>By the way the tranny was rebuilt shortly after I get the truck under by Chrysler since it was badly slipping. That was 30K miles ago.<br><br>Thanks in advance for your help.<br><br>

 

Sounds normal for a stock tranny...a torque converter and a Valve body would improve shifting 100%...stock trannys feel sloppy shifting thur the gears until you hit O/D lock up<br><br>You could install a lockup switch<br>http://www.tstproducts.com/tranny_install.html

 

Hey Bill F,<br><br>You have just described a stock auto tranny. <br><br>I posted the EXACT same question when I was new to the Dodge/CTD auto tranny. <br>I came from a GMC P/U with a 6.2L diesel and it shifted much the same way most cars/trucks shift.<br>It was different to feel how the Dodge shifted.<br><br>Yes, the feeling of the great acceloration is from the torque converter locking up. <br>First, second, and third have very close shift points and the ratio is very close. I often think the stock tranny feels sluggish or non responsive.<br>However, once that torq convert locks up... your on your way down the road!<br><br>There have been several &quot;colorful&quot; conversations on this board about different transmission setups.<br>However, one of our memebers SFtopSGT is doing a write up on a promissing product that will allow us auto tranny owners to better control the shift points of our transmissions.<br><br>You can check it out by following one this link:<br><br>https://www.dieseltruckresource.com/...ay/emjay2.html<br><br>Other options would/could include getting rebuilt/replaced by DTT or an ATS tran$mi$$ion.<br><br>I have had my truck a half year now and Im still trying to get used the strange shift pattern of the Dodge CTD.<br><br>Rich

 

With much less cash (and also less power holding ability), you can put in a shift kit. The shift points can happen at a higher rpm, making for better acceleration and less rpm drop when going into lockup. Add a fuel plate and a 3K GSK and you'll get down the road pretty fast.

If you catch the &quot;BOMBing bug&quot;, you'll eventually have to spend $$$ for trans upgrades.

 

mine drives me crazy as I go up and own mountain roads to and from work(about an hours drive) and I can't wait untill it gets into o/d when my little dodge with the training wheels blows by the guys in the VW golf going up a 2mile hill.

 

In describing the stock tranny shift into overdrive, as some have, above, I'd like to ask... is the transition &quot;crisp&quot;? I would describe mine ('97 with 143,000 mi) more as like a &quot;lunge&quot; into OD... especially if I've got any pedal in it at all. <br><br>Also, my tranny will sometimes play &quot;hopscotch&quot; during the 1-2 shift, with moderate acceleration. Not with very light and not with heavy. But, with moderate, it will hop back and forth between 1-2.

 

Mine shifts with a sort of a lunge I think it is do to the rpm drop of going to the high stall of the converter to lockup. Matt

 

Good to know the lunge is characteristic and not necessarily a problem.

 

This must be a diesel problem because They 95 dodge gasser we have runs pulls and drives great. I really like the way it shifts. It seems like it has plent of power and never misses a shift.<br>DM01

 

it's pretty simple: shift points are too close and the stock converter is a piece of junk. the stall speed is too high...meant for the v10. it just wastes the power into heat below ~2200 rpms or so.

 

[quote author=Colorado link=board=16;threadid=10231;start=0#105041 date=1045330484]<br>In describing the stock tranny shift into overdrive, as some have, above, I'd like to ask... is the transition &quot;crisp&quot;? I would describe mine ('97 with 143,000 mi) more as like a &quot;lunge&quot; into OD... especially if I've got any pedal in it at all. <br><br>Also, my tranny will sometimes play &quot;hopscotch&quot; during the 1-2 shift, with moderate acceleration. Not with very light and not with heavy. But, with moderate, it will hop back and forth between 1-2. <br>[/quote]<br><br>The transition to lockup is not &quot;crisp&quot; in my truck. It could be described as a &quot;lunge&quot;... but not &quot;crisp&quot;.<br><br>I have not had the &quot;hopscotch&quot; issue under moderate accelearation. <br>If the truck is in 3rd and I floor it, it will often hunt for gears... (Back and forth between 2nd and 3rd). <br>Ive also had the truck hopscotch between frist and second if the truck just made it to 2nd and I floor it. It will then shift back-n-forth between 1st and 2nd.<br>However, under normal driving conditions, the truck does not &quot;hopscotch&quot; with gearing.<br><br>You might want to have the tranny looked at. Im no expert... but I dont think the tranny should hunt for gears under moderate acceleration unless you give it more fuel just after it shifts.<br><br>Good luck.<br>Rich.

 

A couple of things to check-<br><br>Throttle cable. Check for fraying, this is a common recall, mine was about to break when I bought the truck.<br><br>Kickdown (or throttle valve) cable. Check for adjustment and upper end of cable holder in place in bracket. Proper adjustment is when accelerator pedal is pushed to the floor, throttle lever on trans can be pushed 1/16&quot; farther. There should also be a return spring from the lever to the trans housing (like a light carburator spring).<br><br>Trans fluid &amp; filter should probably be changed at least every 24,000 miles (ATF +3).

 

Thanks for the tip on the cables. I'll report back after checking them!

 

Cleaning your TPS will also relieve some of the oddball shifting problems. It is a variable resistor and it gets dirty easily were it is located.<br><br> Mine was gunked up with crud and was not turning freely, after some brake cleaner and a small plastic brush it was good to go.<br><br> The Emjay Strategy controller also has helped to clean up the signal from my old TPS. I am trying to finish the article for posting this week on it, but I will tell you that I have seen a difference in how it responds due to the Emjay controller.<br><br> The Emjay Controller was not designed specifically to do this, but due to the &quot;High pass&quot; filters in it, the signal get's cleaned up as it passes through the controller. A nice little bonus for us as the TPS is prone to producing a &quot;dirty&quot; signal due to it's construction.<br><br> More to come in the article,<br><br>Lary

 

I really look forward to your article! Hope there are some photos. I'm not even sure where or how to clean the TPS. Is it on the tranny or the throttle? I'll do some research in the meanwhile.